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FAIRFIELD, Iowa, May 18, 2017 — Hedge funds gained 0.69% in April according to the Barclay Hedge Fund Index compiled by BarclayHedge. After four consecutive profitable months, the Index is now up 3.71% in 2017.

This is the best start since 2013 when the Barclay Hedge Fund Index gained 4.74% through April, and also began the year with four profitable months in a row. Over the past 14 months, the Index has had 12 months of gains, and only two losses.

Fourteen hedge fund indices had gains in April. The Technology Index was up 1.91%, European Equities were up 1.19%, the Event Driven Index gained 1.18%, Equity Long Bias was up 1.14%, and Merger Arbitrage gained 1.05%.

“Emmanuel Macron’s victory over the anti-EU candidate in the French presidential election allayed Frexit fears, and the subsequent rally in European equities lead the gains in global markets to its sixth consecutive month," says Sol Waksman, founder and president of BarclayHedge.

Three indices had losses in April. The Global Macro Index was down 0.59%, Pacific Rim Equities lost 0.39%, and Distressed Securities were down 0.22%.

Year to date, all 17 of Barclay’s hedge fund indices have gains. In the first four months of 2017, the Technology Index is up 9.04%, Healthcare and Biotechnology has gained 8.20%, and Emerging Markets are up 7.16%. Equity Long Bias has gained 4.39%, European Equities are up 4.33%, and the Event Driven Index has gained 4.24%.

The Barclay Fund of Funds Index gained 0.48% in April, and is up 2.47% in 2017.

Click here to view five years of Barclay Hedge Fund Index data, or to download 20 years of monthly data.

Sol Waksman is an experienced media source, providing perspectives on hedge fund and managed futures trends. For more commentary or background, call 641-472-3456 or email swaksman@barclayhedge.com.

BarclayHedge is the global leader in providing independent, research-based information services to the alternative investment industry. Founded in 1985, Barclay currently maintains data on more than 6,400 hedge funds, fund of funds, and CTAs. No one has been in the business of collecting alternative investment data longer than BarclayHedge.